The present invention relates generally to interior trims for vehicles and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method of making an interior trim panel for a vehicle.
It is known to provide an interior trim panel for a vehicle such as an automotive vehicle to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance in an occupant compartment of the automotive vehicle. The interior trim panel typically includes a trim blank or insert attached to a carrier or substrate by several different conventional processes including adhesives, heat staking, sonic welding, and fasteners. The interior trim panel may be mounted to structure of the vehicle such as an inner door panel of a door for the vehicle by suitable means such as fasteners.
It is also known that trim pieces may cover only certain zones or areas of the substrate. Retaining trim pieces in this isolated way causes two disadvantages. First, the process of filling a tool with plastic beads tends to force these beads onto a front side of the trim piece marring the part. Second, steam, which is used to expand the plastic beads, also migrates to the front side of the trim piece overheating certain fabrics, thereby allowing them to be crushed by the molding pressures, which is referred to as nap crush.
Therefore, it is desirable to reduce nap crush on an interior trim panel having trim pieces molded to a plastic trim panel substrate. It is also desirable to reduce nap crush on interior trim panels made by insert molding trim pieces in a thermoplastic bead molding process. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide an apparatus and method of making an interior trim panel, which reduces nap crush, for attachment to an interior structure of a vehicle.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new apparatus and method of making an interior trim panel for a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method to reduce nap crush by insert molding trim pieces in a thermoplastic bead molding process.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a method of making an interior trim panel for attachment to structure of a vehicle including the steps of placing a trim insert into a cavity of an apparatus and over a seal thereof. The method also includes the steps of loading a retaining ring over the trim insert to sandwich the trim insert between the retaining ring and seal and closing the apparatus. The method further includes the steps of filling the cavity with a plastic material and introducing steam into the apparatus to expand the plastic material to form a substrate and bonding the substrate against the trim insert to form an interior trim panel.
In addition, the present invention is an apparatus for making an interior trim panel for attachment to structure of a vehicle. The apparatus includes a cavity side having a cavity for receiving a trim insert and a core side for cooperating with the cavity side. The apparatus also includes a seal disposed in the cavity adjacent an edge of the trim insert. The apparatus further includes a retaining ring disposed over the trim insert to sandwich the trim insert between the retaining ring and the seal. The core side has a plurality of steam apertures extending therethrough for introducing steam into the cavity to expand plastic material to form a substrate and bond the substrate against the trim insert to form an interior trim panel.
One advantage of the present invention is that an apparatus and method of making an interior trim panel is provided for a vehicle, which reduces nap crush. Another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method allows trim pieces to be molded onto bead molded interior products as part of an overall interior trim panel, thereby greatly reducing nap crush. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method reduces nap crush on interior trim panels made by insert molding trim pieces in a thermoplastic molding process. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method reduces cost through the use of less expensive trim materials for molding trim pieces onto bead molded products as part of an overall interior trim panel. A further advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method reduces nap crush on expanded polypropylene molded products. Still a further advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method reduces cost based on the elimination of adhesives, the reduction of process steps, and a reduction in tooling required. Another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method eliminates an intermediate substrate and tooling required for that substrate. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the apparatus and method eliminates the need for adhesives typically required to apply a trim insert, resulting in a less expensive part and a part that is more easily recycled.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood, after reading the subsequent description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.